Why Diversity on Small Business Teams Matters

When we talk about “diversity” in small business, it sounds like a vanity metric, doesn’t it? After all, we’re talking about building a more diverse team just to build a diverse team… right?

No, actually. That’s not the case at all. 

I’ve found that lots of employers stop to wonder if the push for diversity in their small business truly matters. It just feels like yet another thing you have to do.

Admittedly, it’s extra work. You have to put forth the effort to hire from a more diverse pool of applicants, which often means seeking out job boards and recruiting firms that are hard to find, and sometimes even harder to utilize. 

But the pay-off is worth it — and not just because you can label yourself as an “equal opportunity employer” (which is total B.S. and a rant for another day).

Here’s why it is good for everyone when small businesses focusing on hiring a diverse team.

Differing points of view lead to innovation

As business owners and employers, we all know that innovation is the key to progress. Put simply, innovation is the process that creates a new idea, product, or system. 

Put more complexly… innovation is the difference between growth and stagnation. If I were to ask most employers which one they prefer, the easy and obvious answer would be growth. But without innovation, there is no growth. 

In order for us to have innovation, we need fresh ideas, different experiences, and various points of view. If all of us have the exact same opinions, the same lived experience, and the same understanding of the world, it’s impossible for us to have different points of view. Therefore, we’ll have no innovation. 

Which means no growth. Only stagnation. Therefore, it’s extremely important to have a diverse team with diverse points of view, who also have the ability to work together and innovate genius-level ideas. 

You chose to do business differently (so do it differently)

I know that anyone reading this blog will understand the ways in which this world is set up for only one type of person to succeed. We, as business owners and change-makers, want to change that. We want to build an inclusive business and an inclusive space in the online business world that makes it possible for everyone to succeed.

If you’re reading this, you may have also had to navigate a system that wasn’t designed for you. As a neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ woman business owner, I’ve experienced my fair share of uphill battles. But I’ve also massively benefitted from privileges (namely, being white and middle class).

Because of those privileges, I see diversity in hiring not only as a necessity, but as a responsibility. As someone who has benefitted from systems of oppression, including my privilege of living in the Western world, it’s quite literally my duty to help change the tide and make access to opportunities more equitable for others.

No, they’re not going to be the easiest candidates to find, nor will they be the first ones to apply for any job. On paper, these folks might not even appear to be the most “qualified” (though I think that word is BS anyways!). But once you dig a bit deeper and look past the “qualifications” and experience, you’re likely to find a candidate who will be wonderful for your business and your business can be wonderful for them.

We’re normalizing our differences

The one thing I’ve learned from working with small businesses? We’re all unique and we all have our own challenges — and we’re all working to normalize those challenges while building something that really matters. There is so much power in that, and it’s showing the rest of the world that we can do business differently. 

Here’s just a personal example of what this looks like: Until recently, I hadn’t really outwardly identified with my marginalized identities, outside of my identification as a woman. 

But neurodivergent (autism and ADHD) and LGBTQIA+? That wasn’t something I was telling people up front, and to be honest… it wasn’t something I had admitted to myself yet. 

Before COVID, my autistic tendencies started really manifesting. But I chalked it all up to ADHD. Of course, where I was working at the time, I didn’t have “time” for these tendencies. I was working in a loud classroom and I didn’t get a lot of downtime to reduce stimulation. Once I moved schools, though — and eventually started working for myself — I could give myself accommodations, like earplugs or turning off the lights on my breaks and hiding under my desk, in order to survive. 

Awareness brought so much ease into my life

Especially as a business owner, becoming aware of my marginalized identities and obstacles has been a key to my success. Yes, some others might see me as “less professional” or “disorganized” because I don’t conform to neurotypical, non-marginalized standards. 

But honestly… I don’t care. I’ve lost out on jobs and opportunities because of it and it doesn’t bother me. In fact, it only fuels my fire more. There are people out there who have experienced even more of these “You don’t fit the mold” rejections and they’re looking to kick ass at a job that can help them embrace those differences.

That’s why diversity on your small business teams matters so much.

So… ready to build a more diverse team?

If you’re interested in working with me on my mission to build more diverse small businesses, I would love to chat with you. 

If not, that’s totally cool. I want to leave you with this: no matter your identity, you ARE viable as an employee, business owner, and human. 

Period. 

I also have a freebie all about how to build a more diverse team.

Grab this guide and you’ll get:

• A brief explanation of what team diversity actually means
• Advice for business owners that really want to create a diverse team and an inclusive and equitable workplace! 
• What to consider and necessary commitments when striving for team diversity
• An inclusion statement that you can tailor to your job ads
• Our top job boards and strategies to find the right ones 

DOWNLOAD THIS DIVERSITY HIRING GUIDE HERE